Novell filed suit against Microsoft on Friday, claiming the company used anti-competitive tactics in the desktop software market during the 1990s.
As expected, the suit argues that Microsoft restrained trade from 1994 to 1996, when Novell sold its WordPerfect word processing application and Quattro Pro spreadsheet. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, seeks unspecified damages. Novell charges that Microsoft withheld "critical technical information" about Windows from Novell, which Novell says hampered its ability to create competitive versions of its productivity applications.
Novell also contends that Microsoft deliberately excluded WordPerfect from the marketplace. Novell said Microsoft used its monopoly power to prevent hardware manufacturers from offering WordPerfect to customers. "While this lawsuit is unrelated to Novell"s current business, the claims are important and hold considerable value for Novell," Joseph LaSala Jr., Novell"s senior vice president and general counsel, said in a statement.